


lullabies

by peachsneakers



Series: sanders sides agere [20]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Age Regression/De-Aging, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Post-Episode: Putting Others First - Selfishness v. Selflessness Redux | Sanders Sides, Sympathetic Deceit | Janus Sanders, platonic anxceit - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-01
Updated: 2020-07-01
Packaged: 2021-03-04 17:48:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 801
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25010374
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/peachsneakers/pseuds/peachsneakers
Summary: Janus regresses after the video and seeks out a familiar face.
Relationships: Anxiety | Virgil Sanders & Deceit | Janus Sanders
Series: sanders sides agere [20]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1618099
Comments: 24
Kudos: 237





	lullabies

**Author's Note:**

> for anon prompt: "Janus regresses directly after the newest episode and he’s super upset about revealing his name and goes to one of the other sides for comfort"
> 
> also wow this is my 300th sanders sides fic!

It sneaks up on him, spilling over him just as he sinks down, jubilant over Thomas's last words. It's not that he's forgotten Roman's reaction to revealing his name (or his own overly harsh rebuttal), but for a moment, he could hide it away, even from himself.

That's not possible anymore, not now that he's alone, and what's worse, he can feel his mind slip-siding into regression. He doesn't _want_ to regress right now. It's not the time for it. He can't see Remus this way, not after he said what he did to Roman. Logan is probably still perturbed after Janus replaced him in the video and besides, Logan doesn't know that he regresses. Patton's out for the same reason, and _Roman_ -

Even if he felt up to seeing the creative side again this evening, he certainly doesn't want to give Roman still _more_ ammunition to use against him.

But there's only two people who know about his regression in the first place, and he can't go to Virgil, Virgil _hates_ him, but he can't go to Remus, either, and-

Before he knows it, he's toddling down the hallway, headed unerringly toward Virgil's door. Once there, he slumps against it, sticking his thumb in his mouth and biting down just hard enough that his teeth leave imprints in his skin. He isn't sure where his gloves have gone, and that only makes him feel _worse_. His gloves are one layer of security against the world, a shield much like the title 'Deceit', and now both are laid bare, for the others to mock and pick over, like turkey bones at Thanksgiving.

Tears blur his human eye and he sniffles, curling up tighter against the door and both wishing Virgil would come out and desperately hoping that Virgil doesn't notice, either because he's not there or he's asleep. Not that he thinks anyone could sleep through the ruckus they made earlier.

The door creaks open and he nearly falls, caught by familiar purple-plaid-patched arms, and he cries harder, unable to make out Virgil's face, but knowing it must be angry, must be full of contemptuous disgust, wanting Janus to go away and stop mucking up his door-

"Janus?" The word is whisper-soft, but it cuts through Janus's tears like a knife, stopping them instantly. He looks up at Virgil with swollen eyes to find no anger there, no disgust. Just sleepy confusion, and the beginnings of concern.

"I told my name," he mumbles, knowing he sounds childish and unable to stop it. "Roman laughed."

"Oh, Janus," Virgil says, with a soft sigh. "I heard." Janus swallows hard, the lump in his throat enormous. If Virgil heard, that means he heard Janus's response. He cringes, but Virgil doesn't say anything else, just pushes the door open wider.

"Wanna come in?" Virgil asks. "We can watch cartoons or something." Janus hesitates.

"You sure?" He asks, the closest he can come to expressing the complicated morass of emotions churning and tangling in his stomach when he thinks of Virgil. Virgil nods without hesitation.

"Come on in, little danger noodle," he says. "I'm sorry Roman laughed. Your name's great."

"Really?" Janus asks, perking up a little as he sidles past Virgil. His mouth falls open when he sees the purple fairy lights twinkling above Virgil's bed and Virgil laughs a little, watching his expression.

"Yeah," Virgil says. "I promise. We can talk about anything else when you're grown up again. Okay?"

"Okay," Janus agrees. He hesitates again. "Patton doesn't think it's stupid, does he?"

"Nah, kiddo," Virgil says, encouraging him to sit on the bed. "Patton thinks all names are cool. He likes _mine_ , remember? So he definitely likes yours, too. He didn't make fun of it, did he?"

"No," Janus is forced to admit. Virgil smiles, bumping his shoulder a little with his own as he snaps his fingers and gathers several more pillows, packing them around Janus and making him giggle.

"There you go," Virgil says. "And Thomas didn't laugh, right?"

"Right," Janus confirms.

"Thomas a-accepts you," Virgil says. "It will be okay. Do you need Sir Hiss A Lot?" Blushing, Janus nods. Virgil concentrates for a moment, snapping his fingers again. Awestruck, Janus clasps his stuffed snake to his chest, mumbling a thank you into its soft plush.

"It's no problem," Virgil assures him. "Now uh, what did you wanna watch?"

"Doc McStuffins!" Janus blurts out. "She fixes stuffies' boo boos!"

"Okay," Virgil says, with a shrug. "Doc McStuffins it is." After a moment, watching the show play, his arm snakes out, settling across Janus's shoulders and grounding him.

He fixes his gaze on the TV screen, idly playing with his stuffed snake. Maybe things really will turn out all right in the end.

They at least feel pretty okay right now.


End file.
